How to Scare Away Car Thieves

These are very uncertain times that we live in and it’s always wise to be more vigilant with our property. This includes, especially, our cars. The need to increase your vehicle’s anti-theft measures increases if you’re driving a luxury car, such as a Range Rover Sport, Mercedes C Class and Jaguar XJ. Here are some easy yet effective tips to keep your car from being burglarized:

1. Keep an eye on your keys.

While hotwiring is still a classic modus operandi for car thieves, this simply doesn’t work anymore for newer vehicles. The latest cars now require a memory chip, which is found in the key. Without this, the car will refuse to start. “Letterbox fishing” is one of the ways that thieves find keys. Going through the backdoor of your home is another favorite method and they’ll often go for places where you usually leave the keys, such as handbags.

2. Install alarms and have conspicuous security signs.

While we may underestimate car alarms, they do ward off thieves well. One of the biggest deterrents to your car being stolen is if it requires too much of an effort to get your vehicle from the driveway to the road. For instance, outsmarting an alarm will take five minutes at least and then removing a steering wheel lock will take another few minutes. On the subject of alarms, the best ones are those actually fitted by the manufacturer. And make sure to have at least one sticker on your car, to put off potential thieves.

3. Go for a bit of tackiness.

Cars which have fluffy toys or painted flowers on their bodies are more likely to be passed over by criminals. Aside from these vehicles lacking “street cred,” they also attract the wrong sort of attention and we all know how burglars are generally protective of their typically “tough” reputations. Another reason is that cars with these decorations are usually the cheaper ones. If you have a private plate, so much the better for your car since having one makes your vehicle easier to spot by authorities.

4. Keep your car clean.

If your car is a mess, this usually sends a message to a burglar that you were in a hurry to leave and may have failed to lock the doors or close the windows properly. As for gadgets, never leave them exposed. Place them either under a seat or in the glove box.